Hyrule at War
by Brandon Taylor
Summary: Ganondorf creates destruction in Link's house, and an angered Link launches an attack against Ganondorf, who by then has changed into Ganon. Now, Link is facing another battle for his very life. WILL HE SURVIVE?


"Hyrule at War" or, "Ganon's Revenge"

A Storyline by Brandon Taylor

Based upon "The Legend of Zelda" created by Shigeru Miyamoto

December 12, 2005

**Dramatis Personae**

Link—the legendary hero of Hyrule.

Zelda—Princess of Hyrule, and wife of Link.

Link Jr.—son of Link and Zelda.

The King of Hyrule—Zelda's father.

Link's grandmother and sister.

Ganon—the King of Evil.

Ganondorf—his "good" alter ego.

Various servants of Ganon and Ganondorf.

Other Hylians.

SETTING:Hyrule.

**Our Story Begins…**

We find our hero Link in his house with his wife, the Princess Zelda, and their son, Link Jr. It is a happy, prosperous, and tranquil time in all of Hyrule. Link Jr. is the first to speak.

LINK JR.:"What a great day!"

ZELDA:"It really is wonderful, isn't it?"

Link joins them. He looks exceptionally pleased with himself.

ZELDA:"And what makes my breadwinner so happy this morning?"

LINK:"I've rented some nice farm horses! They're not very big—they average about eleven hands—and these are pretty ones, if I do say so myself. I've got them from ten to two, and I thought it'd be fun if we all went horseback riding!"

LINK JR.:"All right! I love horses!"

ZELDA:"Where will we go?"

LINK:"I thought we'd go and see my grandmother and my sister and grab a lunch. Grandma's lasagna is really something to shout for!"

ZELDA:"Now, now, Link! We mustn't spoil our son!"

LINK:(Scoffs) "Who's spoiling him? All I said was we were going to have some of Grandma's lasagna!"

ZELDA:(Sighs) "Well, all right, if we must."

LINK:"What's wrong with you, Zelda?"

LINK JR.:"Yeah! Why are you being such a spoilsport?"

ZELDA:(Sighs again, more intense this time) "I don't know. I guess… I'm just thinking… worrying… about Ganon."

LINK:"Come off it, Zelda! Ganon's gone; it's a beautiful day… I mean, what more can you ask for?"

LINK JR.:"Personal traumas like Mom's change people forever. When bad things happen to you—like Mom being abducted by Ganon and all—your life is never the same, and never will be the same again."

LINK:"How do you know about all of this, son?"

LINK JR.:"A counselor at school told me all about it—how to read the signs, everything."

LINK:"Why, I'm proud of you, boy!"

ZELDA:"I'm glad you go to school, at any rate."

LINK JR.:"And another thing… Ganon's talent for spreading enmity and discord among us Hylians is very great. We Hylians must stay strong, must unite inside Hyrule, or we will break from within."

LINK:"Great Gods!"

ZELDA:(Sobs) "Our little boy is growing up."

LINK JR.:"I want to be wise, like many wise Hylians before our time, and like you, Father. I want to go places and see things. Then, when Hylians see me as an elder, they will say, 'He has been places and seen things. He is wise.'"

ZELDA:(Laughs) "Such childhood dreams!"

The doorbell rings.

LINK:"By the Gods of Hyrule, they're here!"

**Ganon's Tower**

We now break from Link's house and enter Ganon's tower. We find Ganondorf the Hylian sitting in a chair that is clearly built to seat someone much larger—namely Ganon the King of Evil himself. One of his servants appears.

SERVANT 1:"Lord Ganondorf!"

GANONDORF:"What news brings my servant?"

SERVANT 1:"My Lord, I have received a tip-off from a reliable source that the Princess Zelda is not in her castle."

GANONDORF:"Where is she?"

SERVANT 1:"I do not know, Master. I have a search party looking for her as we speak."

GANONDORF:(Nods) "I see. Then, I trust, you will notify me as soon as you have information about her whereabouts?"

SERVANT 1:"Yes, Master. I will not fail you; for you saved me from a horrible death once before, and I have dedicated my life to serving you for all time."

GANONDORF:"Enough. You may go."

SERVANT 1:"Yes, Master."

He exits—and another servant enters.

SERVANT 2:"Lord Ganondorf!"

GANONDORF:"What news brings my servant?"

SERVANT 2:"My Lord, I believe that now would be a perfect time to attack Hyrule Castle."

GANONDORF:"Why?"

SERVANT 2:"They are showing no signs of hostility, Master."

GANONDORF:"Then neither shall our side."

SERVANT 2:"But Master—!"

GANONDORF:"No! We shall do nothing. I shall do nothing unless Ganon tells me to. Is that understood?"

There is a pause. Then the servant hangs his head.

SERVANT 2:"Yes, Master."

GANONDORF:"Very well. You may go."

And the servant leaves.

GANONDORF:"Attacking Hyrule Castle too soon would result in the demise of my own empire. I will not risk that."

GANON'S VOICE:_"That's right. We don't want to attack too soon. We will wait for the right time."_

GANONDORF:"But Ganon, when will the right time be?"

GANON'S VOICE:_"I shall tell you when the right time comes, and not before. Do not ask me about this again."_

GANONDORF:"Yes, Ganon."

GANON'S VOICE:_"In the meanwhile, I sense that Link is leaving his house with Princess Zelda and their son. Perhaps now would be a good time to attack the house."_

GANONDORF:"It shall be done, Ganon." (Calls out to a passing guard) "Guard!"

GUARD:"What is your bidding, Lord Ganondorf?"

GANONDORF:"Call a small division of the army."

GUARD:"What for, Master?"

GANONDORF:"We shall attack Link's house."

GUARD:"Yes, My Lord."

**The House of Link's Grandmother and Sister**

A few minutes before noon, Link, Zelda, and Link Jr. arrive at the house of Link's grandmother and sister on horseback.

LINK:"Here we are! Whoa, horse!"

His horse stops, and the other two stop right behind him. Their riders dismount.

LINK:"Tie them off! Be careful, now!"

They tie their horses to three nearby posts.

LINK:"Everybody ready? Let's go!"

All three of them march up to the front door of the house. Link knocks on the door and waits. A peephole opens on the door, and Link's sister's face appears in it.

LINK'S SISTER:(Within) "Who is it?"

LINK:"It's your favorite brother!"

The peephole slams shut, at which Link jumps back slightly. The door opens, and Link's sister is there, screaming and bouncing happily. Link's vision is completely obscured by long hair, as Link's sister has thrown herself onto him in an embrace that almost knocks him to the ground.

LINK'S SISTER:"LINK! Grandma, he's here, Link's here! I'm so sorry, Link, I didn't hear you knock! How are you, Link? Is everything all right? Have you been avoiding us? Oh, I bet you have been—"

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"Let the man breathe, you silly girl, have you gone mental?"

Link's sister releases him and clears her throat.

LINK'S SISTER:"Oh… um… sorry."

LINK:"Quite an understandable mistake."

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"How _have_ you been, my hero? You haven't been to see me in ages!"

LINK:"Zelda and I have been doing quite well."

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"Ah, that's good to hear, darling, good to hear indeed!"

LINK'S SISTER:"So what brings you to this neck of the woods, my brother?"

LINK:"I have heard that Grandma's cooking up some of her great lasagna."

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"It is a pity you are not here to hear your sister talk about it."

ZELDA:"Oh? What does she say about it?"

There is a pause. Link's grandmother looks over at Zelda.

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"Ah! Princess Zelda! I do hope you are well?"

ZELDA:"I'm in fine condition, Grandmother, thank you."

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"Link's sister says that my lasagna is the best in all of Hyrule."

ZELDA:(Laughs) "Oh, go on, then!"

LINK'S SISTER:"Lunch is almost ready, Grandmother."

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"Thank you, dear."

But then she notices that Link is eyeing the kitchen hungrily.

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"For goodness' sake, Link! Where is your sense of patience? She said lunch is _almost_ ready! Have you gone mental?"

LINK:"I can't help it! Your lasagna is so great… I just have to have some!"

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"Well, I can't say I blame you—I mean, after all, your sister says my lasagna is the best in all of Hyrule—but for _shame!"_ (To Zelda) "Is he always this impatient?"

ZELDA:"Why, no, not _usually_—but what can I say? It's obvious he can't resist your lasagna." (Laughs)

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"But—"

She looks around, as though waiting for someone to shout "April Fool!" When no one does, she hangs her head in a defeated sort of manner.

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"I mean, yes… that must be it."

Time passes… and then we hear the ding of a bell.

LINK'S SISTER:"Lunch!"

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"It's not ready yet, you silly girl! It still has to cool off! Have you gone mental?"

But she goes into the kitchen, puts on oven mitts, opens the oven door, and carefully takes out the lasagna—a maneuver at which Link begins to salivate. Link's grandmother and Zelda sigh in unison—in their opinion, Link is as bad as his own sister. Link's grandmother puts the hot lunch on a kitchen counter, removes the oven mitts, places them on another counter, exits the kitchen, and sits down. Link's sister stands up, enters the kitchen, opens the refrigerator door, puts on the oven mitts, carefully places the hot lunch into the refrigerator, closes the refrigerator door, takes off the oven mitts, and places them on a counter.

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"What _are_ you doing, you silly girl?"

LINK'S SISTER:"It's a simple science fact. Things cool down faster if they are stored in cool places."

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"True…"

She stands up, goes into the kitchen, puts on the oven mitts, opens the refrigerator door, carefully removes the hot lunch from the refrigerator, puts it on the kitchen counter, and removes the oven mitts, putting them on the kitchen counter next to the hot lunch.

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER, during this series of maneuvers:"…but there are some things that are _not_ meant to cool down this fast, and my lasagna, most unfortunately, is one of those things."

LINK'S SISTER:"But why not?"

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"Because, dear, if you chill foods like this too fast, it depletes their flavor, and then the food doesn't taste as good."

LINK'S SISTER:"Huh?"

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"Do you mean to tell me that as old as you are, you _still_ haven't learned that? Great Gods of Hyrule, it's no wonder our schools are going downhill, if they can't even teach our children something as simple as that!"

LINK, standing up:"Grandma, you are not alone in that opinion. I've been telling my son time and time again about the deteriorating quality of Hylian education. Why, if I ever get to be King of Hyrule, the first thing I'll do is increase government contributions to education!"

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"Why, I don't see why you shouldn't become King of Hyrule! I mean, being married to the Princess? _Honestly!_ Why, if you don't become King, I'll sell my soul to Ganon himself!"

There is a stunned silence. Link sits down.

ZELDA:"You didn't honestly mean that, did you?"

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"No… all right… I didn't… but _honestly,_ I think Link is _bound_ to become King, since he's married to the Princess!"

ZELDA:(Blushes) "Grandmother!"

Time passes again… and soon, Grandmother's lasagna is cool enough to eat—with its original flavor completely preserved, we might add. Everyone has a portion of lasagna on his or her plate.

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"And _now_ we eat!"

And they do exactly that. It's not long before Link seems to fall under a spell.

LINK:"Ah, it is bliss… it tastes like it was made by one of the Gods of Hyrule themselves!"

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"I've only shared my secret recipe with my granddaughter."

ZELDA:"Why your granddaughter?"

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"When it comes to secrets, _no one_ gets anything out of her. _And I mean absolutely no one, not even Ganon himself!"_

LINK, outraged:"Why not me?! I'm family, too, remember?"

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"Yes, yes, I remember, my dear grandson, but the last time _you_ tried to cook something like this, _you_ ended up almost destroying your kitchen!"

There is laughter all around the house, but Link is not among those laughing.

LINK, with his face buried in his hands:"I _told_ Zelda not to tell her!"

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:"Now you see why I share my secrets with your sister and not your wife. Not even Zelda—may the Gods of Hyrule bless her—can keep a secret to save her life!"

ZELDA:_"Grandmother!"_

LINK'S GRANDMOTHER:_"Surely_ the King should have raised you better? _Honestly!_ Why, if I didn't raise my daughter well enough, and she wasn't able to keep secrets, well, then, only the Gods of Hyrule themselves know what I'd do with myself!"

LINK:"Yes, well, there are several other _good_ qualities about her."

ZELDA:_"Honestly,_ Link!"

We leave them as they enjoy their meal.

**Ganondorf's Forces on the Attack**

We find Ganondorf and his troops leading a march on Link's house. The troop has orders from Ganondorf himself to create destruction within the house. It is Ganondorf's theory that, when Link comes to his house only to see it in ruins, he will notify the King, who will launch an attack on Ganondorf's forces—by which time Ganondorf will then become Ganon, and become powerful enough to seize Princess Zelda and destroy the rest of Hyrule, so that not even Link can save her this time.

GANONDORF:"Leave no stone unturned! We must destroy everything we possibly can!"

SERVANT 1:"Yes, My Lord!"

And the destruction continues, until…

SERVANT 2:"Incoming!"

GANONDORF:"Enough destruction, troops! Clear out! Go! Go! Go!"

Ganondorf is saying this, because the "incoming" of which the second servant is trying to warn him is, in reality, Link, Zelda, and Link Jr. Ganondorf and his troops will be lucky to have left the area before Link, Zelda, and Link Jr. can get close enough to see them; for otherwise, Link, Zelda, and Link Jr. would straightaway have gone to the King, who would then order an attack on Ganondorf and his men. However, they are indeed able to vacate the area.

LINK JR.:"That was some lunch!"

ZELDA:"I quite agree."

LINK:"Yes, that lasagna of hers is really something to shout for, isn't it?"

But he cuts himself off, stops, and looks around.

LINK:"Great Gods of Hyrule! What have we here?"

LINK JR.:"I don't see anything unusual."

ZELDA:"Really, dear Link! You must be hallucinating?"

LINK:"Maybe and maybe not. What the heck was in that lasagna?"

ZELDA:"I think you need to get some rest, dear. I'll take you into the house."

LINK:"No, really, I'm fine!"

ZELDA:"Please, Link, I insist!"

Link looks around and sees plainly that he is going to be overruled.

LINK:"Oh, very well."

And the three of them proceed into their house—only to find it trashed, ransacked, etc.

ZELDA:"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Link looks as though he has been slapped in the face. Zelda grabs him by the shoulders.

ZELDA:"Link! Our house! An utter disaster area!"

LINK JR.:"What's happened?"

But Link is not paying attention anymore. He too has seen the ransacking of his own home. His face turns purple. Zelda and Link Jr. hold on to each other and wait for the explosion. The seconds lengthen, and still Link has not opened his mouth. Zelda's grip on Link Jr. is now so tight it is almost painful. They wait for another moment, until, finally…

LINK:"Ganon."

Link Jr. stares at Zelda questioningly. Zelda stares back, as if to say, "Don't ask me." Then Link explodes:

LINK:"GANON!!!"

Now Zelda and Link Jr. look at one another, with fear in their eyes.

ZELDA:"Ganon? But… surely… _surely…_ he can't be back _now…_ can he?"

But Link does not respond—he cannot. He has gone into a state of shock. All he can do is breathe in and out for several moments, until, finally…

LINK, weakly:"Go… get… the King… now…"

She starts toward the door, ever so slowly, shaking as she goes.

LINK:"NOW!!!"

And she exits in a hurry… and we follow her all the way to…

**Hyrule Castle**

Zelda approaches Hyrule Castle on horseback. She arrives at her destination, dismounts, and ties her horse to a nearby post. As she approaches the castle gate on foot, she encounters guards, who draw their swords.

GUARD 1:"HALT!"

GUARD 2:"Who goes, there?"

ZELDA:"It is I, Zelda, Princess of all of Hyrule, she whose beauty is unrivaled by all."

At this, the guards put their swords away and fall to the ground, flat on their stomachs.

ALL GUARDS:"All hail Zelda, Princess of Hyrule and wife to Link our hero!"

ZELDA:_It's nice to know they still remember me._

The gate opens.

VOICE:_"Come forward, Princess Zelda!"_

And Zelda proceeds onward, into the castle. Zelda's brother rushes up to meet her.

ZELDA'S BROTHER:"Princess Zelda?"

ZELDA:"Brother?"

They embrace one another for a long time.

ZELDA'S BROTHER:"How have you been, my sister?"

ZELDA:"Personally, I have been well."

ZELDA'S BROTHER:"What brought you back to the castle?"

ZELDA:"I have a message from Link to deliver to the King."

ZELDA'S BROTHER:"Come with me. I will take you where you wish to go, as so I have sworn on my oath to the King."

He exits, followed by Zelda and us.

**Zelda's Reunion with the King**

Zelda and her brother approach the door to the throne room, which has a silver knocker.

ZELDA'S BROTHER:"This is where I leave you. I must go and take others where they wish to go, as so I have sworn on my oath to the King."

ZELDA:"It has been nice to know you once again, my brother."

ZELDA'S BROTHER:"Likewise, my sister."

They embrace one another again, and Zelda's brother exits. Zelda raps the silver knocker on the door.

VOICE:_"State your name and reason for visiting me!"_

ZELDA:"It is I, Zelda, Princess of all of Hyrule, she whose beauty is unrivaled by all."

VOICE:_"Zelda? My dearest daughter?"_

ZELDA:"Yes, my Father and my King."

There is a pause.

VOICE:_"Come forward, then, dear Princess Zelda!"_

At this, the door swings open, and the throne room of Hyrule Castle is revealed. We see Zelda's father, the King of Hyrule himself, weeping as he sits on the throne.

KING:"Zelda, my daughter!"

ZELDA:"Oh, Father!"

They embrace one another for a long time, as though one or the other, or both, has come back from the dead via the Rain of Rebirth.

KING:"My dear daughter, what brings you here to this castle of mine?"

ZELDA:"I have sworn to pass on a message from Link."

KING:"Yes?"

Zelda pulls out a piece of parchment and reads aloud:

ZELDA:_"'To His Majesty, the High King of Hyrule: I have been besieged, and my house ransacked, by none other than that fiend, Lord Ganon himself. I must ask that you deliver aid to our family, so that we may continue to lead normal lives. I further ask that you pursue aggressive action against Ganon, so that he may pay the price for what he has done to us. Personally, I will never surrender; nor will I ever retreat. Terror cannot be allowed to rule a land where justice does, and always has, reigned supreme. I therefore call upon you, Your Most High Majesty, to come to the aid not only of my family and me, but also of all of Hyrule. We cannot live in constant fear of Ganon; otherwise, Hyrule will surely crumble from within herself. Only through an unbreakable union can we ever hope to defeat Ganon once and for all. In conclusion, I am prepared to fight for what is right in the land of Hyrule. I am prepared to fight and die like a soldier who never forgets the honor due him, as well as the honor due his land. VICTORY OR DEATH!'_ Signed, Link, Prince of Hyrule, Conqueror of Ganon, High Captain of the Hyrule Army, 58th Mobile Cavalry Division, and so on and so forth."

There is a pause. Zelda stares at the King for a long time. Then:

KING:"Many thanks, Zelda. I will assemble the army at once!"

ZELDA:"Thank you, dear Father. I leave you in peace, and I pray to the Almighty Gods of Hyrule for a victory for our great land!"

KING:"I shall pray the same way, dear Zelda!"

Zelda exits the castle on horseback and returns to…

**Link's House**

Zelda stops her horse at Link's house. She dismounts, ties her horse to a nearby post, and enters.

LINK:"Did he receive my message?"

ZELDA:"I did just as you asked, my dear."

LINK:"Good. Then, I trust, I will have to come to the castle with you?"

ZELDA:"I believe so."

LINK JR.:"Can I come too, Dad?"

LINK:"I don't see why not… but you're to stay in the castle with your mother."

LINK JR.:"Oh, but I want to fight, too!"

ZELDA:"NO!"

LINK JR.:"But why not?"

ZELDA:"I will not let my son die in a war when he does not even know how to fight!"

LINK:"I'm afraid your mother's right, son… You don't know enough to do any real damage to Ganon or to his forces; the most you'll be able to do is to throw rocks at his tower."

LINK JR., sad:"I want to fight, too."

ZELDA:"I know, I know, but you have never known Ganon. He has a way of… a way of… well, he knows how to… that is to say…"

LINK:"What Zelda's trying to tell you is that Ganon… er… well, he…"

ZELDA:"He's dangerous, son, and that is all that you need to know."

There is a pause.

LINK JR.:"Yeah, you're right… that guy can kill me."

ZELDA:"Yes, indeed. He killed thousands in the time that he oppressed us all. There is no doubt that, in this new war, he will kill thousands more. And my son will _not_ be one of those thousands!" (Pause) "You will stay in the castle with me, while Link fights for Hyrule's liberty."

LINK JR.:"Yes, Mom."

Link finds his old sword and shield in the mess.

LINK:"To the castle!"

**Hyrule Castle**

Now we are back at Hyrule Castle, where we go to see the 58th Mobile Cavalry Division, of which Link was named High Captain a year previously, fully assembled.

SOLDIER 1:"Hail, High Captain!"

ALL:"Hail!"

LINK:"Men. This _is_ Link, your High Captain. When His Majesty gives the order, we will move in slowly, and we will not strike until I give the word."

ALL:"Yes, Sir!"

They wait patiently for the command from the King of Hyrule. Time passes. Then:

KING'S VOICE:_"Forward!"_

And the 58th Mobile Cavalry Division, Link, High Captain, proceeds slowly and steadily toward…

**Ganon's Tower**

_**The Plot to Capture Zelda**_

SERVANT 1:"My Lord! They are mobilizing an army against us!"

GANONDORF:"Just as I thought. They're too concerned about the safety of Link and the others, so they decide to attack us, so that I may pay the price for what I have done. Mobilize our own forces. Hyrule shall not win this skirmish."

SERVANT 1:"Right away, Master!"

He exits—and immediately, a second servant enters.

SERVANT 2:"And what shall we do once we're inside the castle, Master?"

GANONDORF:"Remember this: Bring me Princess Zelda! Do what you will with the others, but I want Zelda alive and unharmed. She is no use to me dead."

SERVANT 2:"Yes, My Lord!" (Exit)

GANON'S VOICE:_"Your usefulness has ended, Dorf."_

GANONDORF:"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

He collapses and faints, only to be replaced by none other than…

_**GANON, THE KING OF EVIL HIMSELF!!!**_

GANON:"Yes… For so long, I have been deprived of power, ever since Link confined me to that realm below the face of the earth. I have not even been allowed a body of my own since my near demise. Only one power has remained to me, and that has been the power to possess the bodies of innocent Hylians. Dorf here can only be so useful to my purposes… but once a servant's usefulness shall end, he must be disposed of, for his life is no longer worth living." (Pause) "But today Link shall die; this shall be his final battle, and with him out of the way, my path to Princess Zelda is completely clear. Then, and only then, will I become King of Hyrule, and oppress millions of Hylians everywhere, as I did when I was once in power."

A third servant enters.

SERVANT 3:"Lord Ganondorf!"

GANON:"Dorf is no longer your ruler."

SERVANT 3:"Then…?"

GANON:"That title has fallen to me."

SERVANT 3:"Ganon!"

GANON:"Now, then, my servant, what brings you here?"

SERVANT 3:"What has happened to Ganondorf?"

GANON:"I have decided that Dorf is no longer worthy of further life. I have disposed of him." (Evil laugh)

SERVANT 3:"You—you monster!"

GANON:"Quite." (Pause) "What is our position in the battle?"

SERVANT 3:"Inconclusive at this point, Lord Ganon."

GANON:"I see. You may go."

SERVANT:"Yes, Master!" (Exit)

**The 58th Mobile Cavalry Division**

KING'S VOICE:_"Attention, all divisions! We have picked up a new group of signals. Enemy forces approaching!"_

LINK:"I don't see anything! I—wait a minute—! Here they come!" (Pause) "ATTACK!"

The soldiers in his division dismount from their horses, draw their swords, and begin to fight with the oncoming onslaught of forces from the nearest division of Ganon's army.

LINK'S SOLDIER:"No quarter!"

But he is immediately struck down by one of Ganon's, as are about thirty others. These victories for Ganon's soldiers, however, are not without losses of their own. The division with which the 58th Mobile Cavalry Division is fighting has lost about fifty men. Therefore, so far, this battle looks to be, all in all, inconclusive.

LINK:_Why do I need any other reason to leave my son in the castle with Zelda? People are dying all around me; isn't that all the reason I need? Besides, it's not like I'm sentencing him to the dungeons!_

**Inside the Castle**

We find Zelda and Link Jr. in the throne room of Hyrule Castle. Link Jr. is under the excellent care of the King's most trusted servants—but what is happening there comes as a great surprise to us. Link Jr. is learning an ancient Hylian martial art. This, naturally, has Zelda beside herself. She is engaged in a heated conversation with the King.

ZELDA:"Father! What is going on? I certainly did not approve of this!"

KING:"Yes, well, I heard what you two were saying about him being too young to die for Hyrule, and I must say that he made an excellent point."

ZELDA:"But Father, he is too young!"

KING:"For Hyrule? Nonsense! But that you may not be upset, I will not allow him to fight in this battle."

ZELDA:"But—!"

KING:"I think the noble art of kendo will be of great use to your son."

ZELDA:"KENDO?!"

KING:"Naturally. But I think you will find his reason most intriguing. He says that he wants to learn kendo so that he does not have to resort to hand-to-hand combat!"

ZELDA:"I don't care about his reasons! I absolutely forbid—!"

KING:"Neither of us can stop him, dear daughter. He is not a child, after all."

ZELDA:"He is not an adult either! He is not Link himself, Father!"

KING:"I am perfectly clear about whom he is, thanks, Zelda."

ZELDA:"Oh, but I'm not sure you are! Sometimes, the way you look at him, it seems as though you're looking at the hero of all of Hyrule himself… when that very Hylian is out there, on the battlegrounds, fighting for this very land!"

KING:"Meaning?"

ZELDA:"Meaning that my son is _not_ my husband, no matter _how_ much he may _look_ like him!"

KING:"Calm yourself, Zelda! Honestly, I don't see why you must be so upset."

ZELDA:"I don't know… I only wish… Link would come out of this battle alive."

She sits down, buries her face in her hands, and begins to weep bitterly.

KING:"My dear daughter, you must calm yourself. I assure you, even if Link dies, he will be well taken care of."

**The 58th Mobile Cavalry Division**

_**On the Battleground**_

The battle with Ganon's men is only getting worse as it progresses. In fact, Link himself was nearly killed more than once. Another shot comes in and…

LINK:"Argh!"

SOLDIER:"Captain! Are you all right?"

LINK:"I'll be okay; it only grazed me." _That's the twelfth one so far that's just missed me! If Ganon keeps it up like this, I'll surely die, and Hyrule will lose this battle! I just hope Zelda and the little one are doing well…_

Then he sees a fleeting vision of Zelda and Link Jr. in the castle with the King…

_**Link's Vision**_

Zelda is standing by a nearby window, looking in the direction of Ganon's Tower, the target for the Hylian army. She is wondering, worrying about what is happening with Link as he fights for Hyrule. She starts crying.

ZELDA, between sobs:"Oh, Link, darling… why must you go out and fight… and leave me here… an easy target for Ganon himself? Why, why, why?"

She falls onto a bed nearby, still crying.

_**Back to Reality**_

LINK:_Dear me! She may be sick… dying… and it's entirely my fault. All because I had to go to the King and tell him that Ganon destroyed my house. A few seconds' destruction and I just had to go and blab! Why didn't I have the sense to keep it to myself, and clean the place up?!_

Meanwhile, more soldiers are falling dead around him. Six soldiers notice that Link is feeling somewhat down, and they rush to keep him company.

SOLDIER 1:"What's wrong, Captain?"

LINK:"I'm starting to have second thoughts about this battle."

SOLDIER 2:"What! You yourself led us into battle in the first place! Now we have no choice but to fight on or die!"

SOLDIER 3:"That's right! If we retreat now, Ganon's men will easily destroy Hyrule! I will not even mention capturing our Princess Zelda!"

SOLDIER 4:"And _then_ who will be left to rescue her? Zelda will be at the mercy of Ganon for all of eternity, Ganon will get his hands on all three Triforces, and Hyrule will eventually be no more!"

SOLDIER 5:"Come; let us pray to the Almighty Gods of Hyrule, that our hero, Captain Link, may regain his confidence for this battle."

The sixth soldier sings a song to the Gods. The song is called "The Hylian Prayer of Confidence."

O Mighty Gods of Hyrule, we pray, we pray to thee:  
Our dear old captain Link; lost his confidence has he.  
Dear Gods, we pray, restore his meaning to fight,  
For Zelda, for Hyrule, for everything that's right!

Gods, we know that confidence is a temple  
Of knowledge, which makes the hardest things simple.  
Gods, we humbly pray that our dear Link  
Can reenter this temple, that he may be able to think!

Let Link conquer his fears and go on in this fight,  
That he may defend Zelda and Hyrule tonight!  
All of these things we pray; this is true.  
In the end, let us say:  
LONG LIVE HYRULE!

OTHER FIVE SOLDIERS:"LONG LIVE HYRULE!"

It is enough. Link suddenly stands up and draws his old sword.

LINK:"Let's fight for Hyrule, for Zelda, and for justice!"

The soldiers cheer and continue their battle. Spurred on by their prayer, they now start to gain a small advantage over Ganon's forces. Eventually, they come farther inside Ganon's Tower than they were before Link lost his confidence.

SOLDIER 1:"In the name of Zelda!"

SOLDIER 2:"In the name of Hyrule!"

SOLDIER 3:"In the name of justice!"

And three of Ganon's men are killed at these words. The next three shouts the names of the three Triforces:

SOLDIER 4:"Wisdom!"

SOLDIER 5:"Courage!"

SOLDIER 6:"Power!"

Three more of Ganon's lose their lives, and Link himself destroys several more on his own. Eventually, they are able to infiltrate…

**Ganon's Tower**

An alarm is sounding in Ganon's throne room.

GANON:"What is going on?"

SERVANT:"The Hylians are invading!"

GANON:"The fools! Don't they realize that my tower is the ultimate power in all of Hyrule?!"

SERVANT:"It seems that Link and his men would beg to differ! Shall we launch the tower's defense mechanisms?"

GANON:"No! Although their forces may be far too insignificant to be taken down by the tower's defense mechanisms, to do so would weaken them almost to the point of destruction, and the battle would probably be indecisive. We'll have to destroy their forces in hand-to-hand combat!"

SERVANT:"Yes, Lord Ganon!"

**The 58th Mobile Cavalry Division**

KING'S VOICE:_"Attention, all divisions! A second wave of enemy forces is approaching your position! You are urged to proceed with extreme caution!"_

LINK:"No problem… not now."

But no sooner has he said these words than…

KA-BOOM!

A grenade explodes near Link's position and kills several Hylians. The six soldiers who prayed with Link, however, are still standing.

LINK:_Great Gods! I wonder how Zelda feels about all of this!_

**Inside the Castle**

Zelda, looking out the window, witnesses the explosion from Ganon's grenade. She starts crying again, harder than before.

ZELDA:_Oh, Great Gods of Hyrule, I do hope Link wasn't caught in that explosion!_

Link Jr., having finished a kendo lesson, rushes into the room where Zelda is.

LINK JR.:"Is something wrong, Mother?"

ZELDA:"Oh, yes, I feel very, very sad, my son. I cannot believe that Link is risking his life for all of this."

LINK JR.:"All of _what,_ Mother?"

ZELDA:"For all of Hyrule, for all that is right… but most of all, for me."

LINK JR.:"I don't blame him, Mother… after all, without _him,_ wouldn't we all be dead? I mean, My Goodness, Mother, without _him,_ where in Hyrule would _I_ be?!"

Zelda sits down on the floor, and the young Link rushes to her. They embrace, as though they have not seen one another in ages. She is now crying on the small Link's shoulder.

ZELDA:"That is true. Without you, my Hyrule would be nothing."

Now she kisses him on the forehead.

LINK JR.:"You know something, Mother? Now I see why Link loves you so much."

ZELDA:"Yes?"

LINK JR.:"You were always a wonderful person to him."

ZELDA:"Yes… It's nice to know he worries about me, like I worry about him."

LINK JR.:"I worry about you, too… and about him."

ZELDA:(Laughs) "Oh, don't worry about _me,_ dear son, I'll be fine."

LINK JR.:"Yeah, I guess so… but all the same, what's Hyrule without you?"

ZELDA:"That's true… in more ways than one."

**The 58th Mobile Cavalry Division**

_**Attempting to Infiltrate Ganon's Tower**_

KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM!

More and more grenades are being chucked at the Hylians that are trying to invade Ganon's throne room, and more and more Hylians are being killed as results of the blasts. Fortunately for Link, however, these blasts are nowhere near their position. Or should we say "unfortunately"? Some of these blasts have killed some of Link's old friends.

LINK:_Great Gods! Many of my friends are dying back there! And here I am, seeking revenge against Ganon for what he did to just a small house! I feel like a fool, leading all of these men to their deaths! Yet I cannot turn back now… or Ganon will surely see me as a coward. Then HE will launch an attack against Hyrule, and capture Zelda… and this time, I will not be there to rescue her! But I can't think about that now… Now I must concentrate on dodging all of these grenades that Ganon's throwing at us! But how do I do it?_ "Everybody take a side wall!"

And at once, his division divides into two halves, each half standing with their backs against opposite walls.

LINK:"Now, men, we are going to proceed slowly and quietly, but most of all, carefully. Knowing Ganon, he knows we're inside, so he's trying to blast us out. We'll have to disguise ourselves somehow."

SOLDIER 1:"I have an idea."

LINK:"Shoot."

SOLDIER 1:"I usually carry quantities of sleeping gas with me into battle. We have entered into a trench through where soldiers usually pass for Ganon's changing of the Guard."

LINK:"And your idea is…?"

SOLDIER 1:"I theorize that if we use enough sleeping gas in this trench, we will put the guards in a sleep deep enough to allow us to steal their uniforms. We can pass off as the guards coming into the tower."

LINK:"I'm not sure that it's a good idea, but I suppose it could work. Get the gas ready."

SOLDIER 1:"Yes, Sir!"

And he passes gas tanks and masks to all and sundry—and not a moment too soon, because we now hear footsteps. The Changing of the Guard is about to begin.

SOLDIER 2:"Here they come, Captain!"

LINK:"Gas tanks at the ready! Gas masks on! When I say go, give the trench a good long spray!"

We put our gas masks on, as well. The footsteps get louder and louder, and we see some of Ganon's men approach the 58th Mobile Cavalry Division. All of these men are singing words that was clearly written in the ancient Hylian language, because we cannot discern the meaning of any of the words they are singing.

LINK:"Now!"

The 58th Mobile Cavalry Division activates the tanks and fills the trench with sleeping gas, until:

LINK:"Stop!"

The 58th Mobile Cavalry Division now deactivates the tanks. All of Ganon's men are now asleep.

LINK:"Now, let's get these uniforms on!"

And his men strip Ganon's guards of their clothes—or, at least, of the garments that make them look like Ganon's guards—and try them on for themselves.

SOLDIER 1:"These trousers are a bit big."

LINK, when the last soldier has put on his garments:"Okay, men. Forward!"

And they proceed farther into the castle, and encounter no grenades this time around.

SOLDIER 1:(Whispers to Link)"Should we attack as soon as we go into the throne room with the beast?"

LINK:(Whispers to the soldier)"No! If we attack now, he'll know we're not his guards!"

SOLDIER 1:(Whispers to Link)"But we _aren't_ his guards!"

LINK:(Whispers to the soldier)"I know. But we don't want Ganon to know that."

SOLDIER 1:(Whispers to Link)"Then what shall we do?"

LINK:(Whispers to the soldier)"Act as though we are, and retire to wherever his _real_ guards retire. Just pick a room, but _do not change out of those clothes until I give the word._"

SOLDIER 1:(Whispers to Link)"Yes, Sir."

Eventually, for the first time in this plot, they come into the throne room with Ganon himself. Just as Link ordered, they proceed forward to the guards' quarters. Each Hylian in the 58th Mobile Cavalry Division selects a room at random, again, just as Link ordered. However, they do not undress, once more, just as Link ordered.

KING'S VOICE:(Whispers)_"I can see that you made it into the guards' quarters of Ganon's Tower without much damage. Well done, Link."_

LINK:(Whispers)"Thank you, Your Majesty."

KING'S VOICE:(Whispers)_"Be watchful, Link, because Ganon's _real_ guards are coming in now."_

LINK:(Whispers)"I'll be on the alert. Thanks again, my King."

_**Ganon's Throne Room: The REAL Guards Come In**_

Now Ganon's _real_ guards, from outside his tower, are coming into the throne room. The look that is beginning to appear on Ganon's face is one of curiosity.

GANON:_That's funny… I don't usually have _two_ Changing of the Guard ceremonies fifteen minutes apart._

But now he begins to look fearful.

GANON:_But if there were just two sets of guards coming in from outside, then that means no one is guarding my gates!_

And now a look of suspicion comes on his face.

GANON:_Which means _one_ of these two sets of guards must be impostors!_ "Guards, halt!"

His real guards stand at attention.

GANON:"I have something to say to you all. When you go to your quarters tonight, I want each of you to search every inch of your rooms for life-signs. It is likely that the life-signs you find are impostor guards—in fact, they may be Hylians dressed up as my guards. I want you to find as many life-signs as you can and take them to the dungeons. I will decide what to do with them later. Leave no stone unturned. When you have imprisoned as many impostors as you can, I want one of you to signal one of our sets of guards and tell them to post themselves around my gates. I cannot take the chance of an invasion by the Hylians."

GUARDS:"Yes, Sir!"

And this group now heads for their quarters.

_**In the Guards' Quarters**_

SOLDIER'S VOICE:_"Someone's coming!"_

LINK:"Attention, all units! Find a hiding place, and fast!"

We being in Link's stolen quarters, we cannot see whether any of the other men were successful in finding hiding places—but we do know that Link is. Link, still dressed as one of Hylian's guards, has found a place wide enough for one of Ganon's guards to fit—we will say nothing about a Hylian. The place is right behind the guard's locker. He squats too low for anyone to see him—and just in time, as one of Ganon's real guards is coming in now. Every now and then, when the guard is not looking in Link's direction, Link chances a glance at what the guard is doing while he is in his quarters. Link sees that the guard is searching for some impostor passing off as a fellow guard. He becomes somewhat fearful, and with good reason, because if he were to be discovered right now, the guard would surely take him to the dungeons. That would leave Ganon free to launch a counterattack on Hyrule so that he may capture Zelda. Then, with no Link around to save her, Zelda would be at Ganon's mercy for all of eternity, and Hyrule would eventually be destroyed, once Ganon got his hands on all three Triforces—Wisdom, Courage, and Power. Link, knowing now that he must not be found at all, is in hope that his chosen hiding place has concealed him well enough—because if he is found, the results would be disastrous, as we have already described above. This knowledge forces another vision of his beloved Zelda into his mind…

**Inside the Castle, Where Link's Vision Takes Place**

Once again, we find Zelda standing by a window in a bedroom. She is looking in the direction of Ganon's Tower, and she knows that her beloved Link is somewhere in that tower. She is wondering and worrying about what may have happened to him. She is upset that, by now, he may even be dead. She starts to cry again. Link Jr. bursts into the room and sees this distraught Zelda.

LINK JR.:"The King says if you don't hurry up, all the food will be gone."

ZELDA:"Just bring some up here, son."

Young Link hurries out of the room, toward the kitchen. Zelda slumps onto the bed once again, now crying so hard that just about the entire castle can hear her.

**Now Following Link in Ganon's Tower**

_**Link (Nearly) Goes Undiscovered**_

Link sees that Ganon's guard has searched enough, and that he is now leaving his quarters. He emerges from behind the locker and heaves a huge sigh of relief—after about fifteen minutes of hiding behind this old locker, fifteen minutes of stress, fifteen minutes of feeling somewhat tired, etc., he can finally get out from behind there. He patches in to his communicator.

LINK:"This is Captain Link, calling all remaining members of my division. Come in, please."

GANON'S VOICE:_"Hi, buddy. Guess who this is!"_

LINK, startled:"_Ganon?!_ No! How in blazes did you get on this channel?!"

GANON'S VOICE:_"Simple. I gave the order for my _real_ guards to search every quarter for your impostors, and I am happy to say that my men have been completely successful. I have imprisoned every last one of your men, and you are the only Hylian remaining in your division. But don't worry… I intend to take care of you… _personally._"_

Link hears his evil laugh.

LINK, frustrated and angry:"WHAT?! Where in blazes are you, you son of a biscuit?"

But he does not see that Ganon is now standing right in the doorway of the stolen quarters.

GANON:"Look right in the doorway."

Seething, Link bangs on the switch on his communicator to shut it off and throws it across the quarters. Slowly, he turns his head toward the doorway and sees none other than…

_**GANON, THE KING OF EVIL HIMSELF!!!**_

Ganon laughs evilly again, louder than before. He unsheathes his sword and growls greedily at Link. Fuming, Link quickly draws his own sword, and they begin to fight.

GANON:"When we first faced off like this, old man, your powers were almost as strong as mine! Now, however, they have weakened considerably! You should never have come back to challenge me!"

LINK:"You—only—know—half—of—Hyrule—Ganon!"

As they continue their deadly sword duel, Link has yet another vision of Zelda…

**Inside the Castle, Where Link's Vision Takes Place**

As Zelda continues to stare at Ganon's Tower through the window, she, too, sees a vision of Link—and her vision is _not_ a good one. She visualizes Link and Ganon locked into a fatal sword duel—and then, suddenly, she sees Ganon behead Link. Utterly terrified, she lets out a horrible scream, falls to the floor, and senses no more. Young Link speeds into the room.

LINK JR.:"Mother, have you seen my—?"

But then she notices Zelda spread-eagled on the floor, and hurries out, screaming at the top of his lungs:

LINK JR.:"GRANDFATHER! GRANDFATHER! COME QUICK!"

We do _not_ follow him as he runs to get the King. Instead, we stay with the unconscious Zelda and wait for the other Hylians. Time passes, and the small Link enters the room at top speed, followed by the King (and several servants).

KING:"Dear, dear me! What in blazes do we have in here?"

But Link Jr. can only point a shaking finger at the lifeless Zelda. He is unable to use words to describe his emotions. And this is strange, because, funnily enough, _we_ can't find words to describe his emotions, either. Apparently, however, the King knows what Link Jr. is trying to talk about, because he shouts his next order:

KING:"Osiris! A pail of water! Now!"

One of the King's servants, a Hylian called Osiris, rushes off to a well near the castle. About two minutes later—Osiris is one of the fastest-running Hylians in all the land—he returns to Zelda's room with a pail of water, slowly and carefully so as not to lose a drop. Once he catches sight of the comatose Zelda, he shouts:

OSIRIS:"Everyone stand back!"

At his words, everyone gets away from the cataleptic Zelda as if she is carrying a deadly disease. They all back up against the wall far from her.

KING:"You may fire when ready, Osiris!"

Osiris lunges forward and throws the contents of the pail at Zelda's lifeless body. Zelda, sensing the low temperature of the water, jerks awake very suddenly and, in two seconds, is on her feet.

ZELDA:"What in blazes—who—Where—what _exactly_ is going on here?!"

KING:"There, there, now, dear daughter, you must have had a bad dream." (Looks out the window) "Goodness me! It's getting rather dark out there! I'll have some food made especially for you, and then I want you in bed straightaway. Do you understand me, Zelda?"

Zelda nods.

KING:"Osiris! A bowl of soup! Now!"

And Osiris rushes off to the kitchen.

KING:"As a matter of fact, I think we all need to go to bed."

And at these words, all of the King's servants depart from Zelda's room. The King comes forward to Zelda and kisses her on the forehead.

KING:"Good night, my sweet daughter."

ZELDA:"Good night, Father."

The King exits—and two seconds later, Osiris enters, carrying a bowl of soup in oven mitts.

OSIRIS:"Your soup, Princess."

ZELDA:"Thank you, Osiris."

He, like the King, kisses Zelda on the forehead.

OSIRIS:"Good night, sweet Princess."

ZELDA:"Good night, Osiris."

And Osiris exits—and so do we… from that scene, anyway, for we must rejoin Link.

**Link vs. Ganon**

_**The Sword Duel Continues**_

GANON:"Prepare to meet your doom, Link!"

LINK:"This is a fight you cannot win, Ganon, for I have learned much since we last parted. If my blade finds its mark, you will cease to exist… but if you cut me down, I will only become more powerful!"

As he says this, he sees a number of Ganon's guards surrounding the battle scene… and realizes that he is utterly trapped! And yet, his tone of voice remains defiant:

LINK:"Heed my words, Ganon—!"

GANON:"Not this time! In mere hours, I will become King of Hyrule! I—KING GANON!!!"

And he makes a final slash at Link. All of Link's garments fall to the ground in two pieces—but by some miracle, Link is not in them! And Ganon, puzzled at Link's sudden disappearance, pokes at Link's robes. He ponders and contemplates for several minutes—until we hear an explosion nearby.

KA-BOOM!

And Ganon is thrown off his feet and driven into a corner of the room by the force of the explosion. All of his guards run away from the room and leave Ganon alone—but they do not know that Link has just re-entered the room!

LINK:"Surprise!"

GANON:"What? No! How did you survive?"

LINK:"I _told_ you, Ganon—I _told_ you. I am more powerful a Hylian than you can imagine upon first seeing me, for I, like many other Hylians, knew you were not gone from Hyrule forever. I did not know whether it would be weeks, months, or even years before you came back, but I knew you would come back and once again try to capture Zelda. So I studied ancient Hylian arts, in the hope of one day annihilating you once and for all! And now, witness just a few of the many rewards I reaped from studying them!"

He vanishes into thin air. Ganon stands up quickly and moves toward the center of the room. Link reappears right behind Ganon and kicks him in the back.

GANON:"AARGH!"

LINK:"Stealth, secrecy, and surprise attacks!"

GANON:"Do you realize how angry you are making me, Link? You dare not cast your eyes directly upon me when I am angry."

But Ganon is wrong—turns out, Link _does,_ in fact, dare. But, of course, when he dares, he sees a Ganon that is changing into perhaps his most terrible form yet…

_**GANON THE DRAGON!!!**_

Ganon, now having gone full dragon, emits an earsplitting roar—and with it, a deadly stream of fire. This Link avoids, but narrowly—one might even say too narrowly, because he feels it graze the side of his face.

LINK:"AARGH!" _Great Gods! That fire _must_ be at _least_ 900 degrees! I'll have to be really careful, or else I'll meet a fiery end! And _then_ what will Zelda think?_

Another jet of fire comes his way, and Link is forced to whip out his old shield in order to block it.

LINK:_No wonder Grandma told me never to play with matches! And I must say, that is really good advice! I'd better get out of these quarters, or I'll get burned!_

And he runs out of the quarters as fast as he can, past Ganon's throne room, and eventually toward the dungeons, where the rest of the 58th Mobile Cavalry Division has been incarcerated.

SOLDIER:"Captain? Is that you?"

LINK:(Whispers) "Quiet! You'll only attract Ganon the Dragon!"

SOLDIER:(Whispers) _"Ganon the Dragon?!"_

LINK:(Whispers) "That's a new form he takes when he's exceptionally angry!"

SOLDIER:"LOOK OUT!"

KA-BOOM!

Ganon the Dragon has followed Link all the way to the dungeons. Of course, as he is a dragon, he cannot utter any human sounds—but we are sure that, if he could, he would say, "Prepare to die, Link!" Of course, somehow or other, Link knows this, and yells at the top of his lungs:

LINK:"NEVER!"

The two of them begin to fight again—Ganon's fire against Link's sword. One jet of Ganon's fire hits Link full in the arm.

LINK:"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!"

He tries to re-focus on Ganon, but is unable to see at all—the pain of the burn is blinding. Link feels as though his head will burst with the pain, feels as though is head is on fire as well—but a few seconds later, things begin to come back into focus, and he can once again see Ganon.

LINK:_I've got to find a weak point, and soon, or I'll never see Zelda again!_

He tries to think hard on something he learned about dragons some time ago, trying to think of where on its body that a dragon is at its weakest.

LINK:_I've got to think. I've got to think._

He thinks as hard as he can—and then, he gets an idea.

LINK:_Yes! That's it!_ "Hey, scorch-breath!"

That gets Ganon's attention, not to mention making him go completely berserk. Ganon turns his head toward the source of the voice—none other than Link—and blows a great jet of fire in his direction, but Link is ready for this one. He dodges the fiery blast. Unfortunately, Ganon knows this, and Link has only a split second to do whatever he is going to do. And that, of course, does not leave him a lot of time to think. He must act, and act now, or else…

LINK:"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!"

Too late—Ganon's latest stream of fire hits Link's leg, and he falls over, stunned. We must say, he could not have felt any worse if the dungeons were full of gasoline. Heck, in fact, if _that_ was the case, every single occupant in the dungeons would have been dead, with the possible exception of Ganon.

LINK:_Okay, try again._ "Care to try again?"

Well, if you're Ganon, why wouldn't you? He aims another blast of fire at Link, but Link is already on the move, and he dodges the flames quite nicely. Once again, as he is moving, he has a split second to act. This time, he does act—he aims his sword at Ganon's eye and throws. Ganon lets out a deafening, earsplitting roar.

LINK:"Bull's-eye! No, wait a minute… that's _dragon's-eye!"_

But the hit causes some bizarre transformation: Ganon the Dragon begins to change. We cannot describe exactly what's going on, but we can say that the dragon has now changed into a Hylian—a Hylian, that is, by the name of Ganondorf. This Hylian looks positively petrified. He is shaking with utter terror.

_**Ganondorf's Final Moments**_

GANONDORF:"Stop! Stop! No more! It's me… Ganondorf!"

LINK:"Ganondorf…? No… no… I don't believe you!"

GANONDORF:"You must believe me, Link… You must understand me… _I had nothing to do with any of this!_ It was all Ganon's fault, I couldn't do anything about, I couldn't stop him from possessing me… but _come_ now, Link, you must understand… you _do_ know what it's like when Ganon wants to possess somebody, it's not fun at all!"

LINK:"No, Ganondorf… I don't think I _do_ know what it's like when Ganon wants to possess someone, because he's never yet managed to possess me!"

GANONDORF:"Believe me, Link, it's no fun, no fun at all!"

LINK:"What about Zelda? What about Hyrule? What about—?"

GANONDORF:"Please, Link, I had nothing to do with any of it! It was all Ganon's fault! It's Ganon that wants to control Zelda, not me! Me, personally, I worship Zelda, I fear her, and I love her, as though she herself were one of the Gods of Hyrule! Please, Link… you simply _must_ believe me."

But we see him press a button on his robes, and outside a window, we can see an aviation vehicle rise slowly, until it is level with the window, so that it may crash through the window and attempt to kill Link.

GANONDORF:"As for Hyrule? I am a very, very patriotic person, Link, very patriotic indeed! Shall I sing Hyrule's national anthem?"

LINK:"Don't bother."

GANONDORF:"And you, Link? Goodness me… I've been like a father to you, Link… only in hopes that you would return the favor, and be like a son to me. Please, Link… please… you simply _must_ believe me…"

He stares into Link's eyes, and Link only stares back.

GANONDORF:"Tell me, Link… would you like to see your mother again? Together, Link, we _can_ bring her back… All I ask is for something in return."

Link catches a brief vision of his mother. Slowly, he extends a hand in Ganondorf's direction, as though expecting Ganondorf to extend his, but Ganondorf does no such thing.

GANONDORF:"That's right, Link… there _is_ no such thing as good or evil… there is only power… and those too weak to seek it. Yes, Link, together, you and I can do things beyond your wildest dreams. Just trust me!"

But suddenly, Link's vision of his mother fades, and once again, he stares into Ganondorf's eyes.

LINK:"You liar. You say you were like a father to me? You were wrong. I once had a father. His name was Sirius. You say you can bring my mother back? Wrong again. _Nothing_ can reawaken the dead… no one can be brought back from the dead… not even my mother. You say there is only power? No. There is _not_ only power. There are two other Triforces in Hyrule… the Triforce of Wisdom, and the Triforce of Courage. And you tell me to trust you? NEVER!"

GANONDORF:"Well… in that case…"

His finger tightens on another button on his robes. An insane smile lights up on his face. He emits a laugh—not a nice laugh—in fact, this laugh is more like that of Ganon himself.

GANONDORF:"Godspeed, Link!"

And he presses the button.

CRASH!

The aviation vehicle plows right through the glass window. Link only has a split second to react before it kills him. Not knowing what will happen—not caring—Link vanishes into thin air. All Ganondorf can do now is utter a soft "oh!" as though of surprise. Then—

KA-BOOM!

The aviation vehicle explodes. The explosion is so great that we are unable to see anything for thirty seconds to a minute. When the smoke clears, we can find Ganondorf's head lying somewhere in the distance. Ganondorf is dead—and with him are both forms of Ganon, both the Hylianoid demon and the dragon. We can also see Link, who has just reappeared, although now he is badly injured—perhaps he rematerialized too soon and caught a piece of the explosion. A number of Ganondorf's servants come around to witness what has happened. When they see Ganondorf's head, the reaction is stiff.

SERVANT 1:"Hey. This guy is dead. You've killed him!"

LINK:"I didn't mean to kill him… _really, _I didn't… it's just that _he_ tried to kill _me!"_

SERVANT 2:"All hail Link! Ganondorf is dead!"

ALL:"Hail, Link! Ganondorf is dead!"

LINK:"His head! May we have it?"

SERVANT 1:"You _must_ have it! Take it with you, back to Hyrule Castle!"

LINK:"Thank you!"

SERVANT 2:"I'll get the keys to the dungeons!"

He exits, and a minute later, re-enters with keys. He unlocks all of the cells and releases the men that Ganondorf has imprisoned. Suddenly, we hear explosions rock the tower.

SERVANT 1:"We must leave quickly! The tower's about to blow!"

LINK:"All right, everyone, just calm down! Follow me!"

And they rush out of the tower that once was Ganondorf's. Soon, what remains of the 58th Mobile Cavalry Division, plus all of those who had once served Ganondorf, mount their horses.

LINK:"Retreat!"

And the entire division, plus the full Hylian army, heads back to…

**Hyrule Castle**

_**"The Army Is Back!"**_

Zelda gets up and stares out the window again toward Ganon's Tower. Out of the bottom of her eye, she sees a crowd coming closer and closer. And then she hears a voice.

VOICE:_"Incoming!"_

She hurries out of the room and nearly collides with Link Jr., who calls after her:

LINK JR.:"The King didn't say—"

Either Zelda didn't hear it, or she chose to ignore it—but what we _do_ know for sure is that she is rushing all the way to the castle gate. The crowd comes closer, and closer, and closer yet. Zelda does not know what to do… until a member of the crowd pulls out a trumpet and plays Hyrule's national anthem—which, interestingly enough, is the same as the theme song to "The Legend of Zelda." And then, only then, does Zelda know the truth. She rushes back into the castle and starts shouting happily:

ZELDA:"The army is back! The army is back! We won!"

LINK JR.:_"All right!_ I knew Daddy would win, I just knew it!"

Zelda runs all the way back to her room in the castle, excited that the Hyrule Army has won the battle—but even more excited that Link has returned. But her excitement vanishes quickly as a doctor enters her room and says:

DOCTOR:"Princess Zelda?"

ZELDA:"Yes? What is it?"

DOCTOR:"You'd better come to the infirmary immediately."

She stands up and follows the doctor to the infirmary, with a confused look on her face. Meanwhile, Ganon's Tower explodes, with no Ganon left to live in it.

_**The Infirmary—"I Don't Think He Will Make It"**_

DOCTOR:"Badly injured… we think it may have been an explosion that caused this."

ZELDA:"Is he going to be all right?"

DOCTOR:"Princess, I don't know how to break this news to you."

ZELDA:"Tell me, or I will have you put to death!"

DOCTOR:"Zelda, I—I don't think he will make it."

ZELDA:"Oh, no!"

And she hurries out of the infirmary, back to her room in the castle, crying bitterly.

DOCTOR:"He's not going to make it."

KING:"He's going to make it! One hundred rupees!"

DOCTOR:"One hundred rupees that he'll live?"

KING:"That's right!"

DOCTOR:"Make it one hundred fifty, and you've got a bet."

KING:"One hundred fifty rupees? Even better! You've got yourself a bet!"

_**Zelda's Room**_

Zelda is now spread-eagled, facedown on her bed, crying. She is, needless to say, in utter worry. Wait a minute… we can't say that she's in utter worry yet, because we know no more than she does about whether Link will live or die. If Link is indeed to die, _then_ we can say safely that she will be in utter worry. Young Link enters the room and sits down next to Zelda.

LINK JR.:"It'll be all right. He'll be fine. He always is… isn't he?"

ZELDA, still crying:"I don't know anymore. If he dies, I may just pray to the Gods to let me die with him."

LINK JR.:"Oh, Mom."

He lies down next to her. Soon, both of them fall asleep. Enter Osiris.

OSIRIS:"Your lunch, Princess Zelda—"

Then he sees the pair of them asleep.

OSIRIS:"Never mind." (Exit)

We let them sleep—the more they sleep, the better.

**A Midnight Visitor**

Midnight approaches in the land of Hyrule. Link Jr. and Zelda have still not awakened, and neither one of them has had dinner. Perhaps Link Jr. knows this, because he wakes up with a start. He rushes out of the room and proceeds toward the kitchen, which is supposed to be a restricted area.

GUARD:"Hey, you!"

LINK JR.:"Are you talking to me?"

GUARD:"Yeah! Can't you read? This is a restricted area! No one but kitchen personnel is allowed here! Yeah, that means you, too, kid. Now beat it!"

This young Hylian doesn't need telling twice. Instead of the kitchen, he tears out of the castle to a nearby well—this is, in fact, the very same well from which Osiris gathered a water pail previously. Oh, by the way, we forgot to mention, it is a rainy night with isolated thunderstorms. Young Link is about to get a pail of water from the well when a particularly bright flash of lightning catches his eye. He turns toward the source of the lightning flash and cannot help but notice the shadow of a Hylian standing somewhere in the distance. Another flash of lightning comes in, and this one illuminates the features of the strange Hylian. This Hylian looks just like Link—but this small Link doesn't have a clue of this Hylian's identity.

HYLIAN:"Boy, where is your mother?

Thinking he is the undertaker, the small Link speaks:

LINK JR.:"Sir, if you have carried my father away, would you please tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him?"

HYLIAN:"Link, my son."

Young Link is transfixed—unless we are much mistaken, we have just heard this strange Hylian call him "Link" and "son" in the same sentence. To the small Link, there can only be one logical explanation for this: this strange Hylian must be none other than the legendary hero known as Link!

LINK JR.:"Dad!"

The two of them embrace for a long time—but then let go very quickly.

LINK:"Take me to your mother."

The two Hylians proceed through the castle gate, inside the castle itself, and onward to Zelda's room.

**An Emotional Reunion**

The two Links come to the door to Zelda's room. The elder Link opens the door, and is greeted by weeping—the weeping of a female Hylian, the weeping of none other than Princess Zelda herself.

LINK:"Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you seek?"

ZELDA:"My Link has died, and I don't know where he has been buried!"

But at this, she turns and sees Link… but she does not realize that he is Link.

LINK:"Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you seek?"

ZELDA:_This cannot be Link. He just cannot be! This man must be the undertaker._ "Sir, if you have carried Link away, tell me where he is, and I will get him."

LINK:"Zelda, darling."

ZELDA:_Did he just call me 'darling'? I ought to rip that man apart! But then… what would I do if it really _is _Link? Oh, goodness me… only the Gods of Hyrule know what I would do if I were to kill the man I love! I have no other recourse: I must ask this man a question to which only the _real _Link—or one of his closest friends—would know the answer._ "Into how many pieces did I divide the Triforce of Wisdom?"

LINK:"Eight."

ZELDA:_It IS him!_

And she rushes toward him, right into his arms, and they embrace one another seemingly endlessly. Zelda starts crying into Link's shoulder.

LINK:"Oh, Zelda, darling!"

ZELDA, sobbing:"Link, my love!"

LINK:"Ah, my dear Zelda… I could not help but think of you all during my mission."

ZELDA:"Darling Link, I have been thinking of you, too… I have been in a right state… I feared you would die!"

LINK:"I almost _did_ die… but obviously, the Gods of Hyrule must have held a conference and unanimously decided that it wasn't time for me to die after all."

ZELDA:"Oh, Link!"

And so on and so forth. They kiss for a long time, but eventually let go. The King and several other Hylians, including Osiris, enter the room.

KING:"My daughter and Princess?"

ZELDA:"What is it, Father?"

KING:"We have inspected the damage that Ganon has done to your house."

LINK:"And?"

OSIRIS:"We are sorry to say that we have been forced to condemn the house as unfit for Hylian habitation. We have been forced to destroy it."

LINK:"I'm not sure if I liked that lamp too much anyway."

The other two are wearing glum looks on their faces.

OSIRIS:"However, do not despair… we have thoroughly searched the place and have recovered some of your most prized possessions. Aaron!"

A Hylian servant named Aaron enters the room, carrying what he believes to be some valuable possessions that his survey team recovered in the wreckage that was once Link's house.

AARON:"This is your home for now, Princess Zelda."

ZELDA:"Thank you, my servants, and thank you, Father."

KING:"We leave you in peace now."

He and his servants exit.

LINK:"So this is our home now."

ZELDA:"And I wouldn't have it any other way."

They kiss.

LINK:"Although, I must say, I happened to stumble upon a house as I was coming back to the castle. And I must also say, I thought the price was very reasonable—one hundred seventy-five rupees a month."

ZELDA and LINK JR. together:_"Link!"_

LINK:"Aw, fudge!"

All three of them laugh—and we leave them in Hyrule Castle until NEXT TIME.

**THE END**

_**A Brandon Taylor Production**_

Text copyright © 2005 by Brandon Taylor.

"THE LEGEND OF ZELDA," characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Nintendo. (s05)

"The Legend of Zelda" Publishing Rights © 1986-2005 Shigeru Miyamoto. All rights reserved.


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